Winter 2012 - Austin College Magazine

’Roo Notes
07
Kristin Austin received a Master of Divinity degree from Austin
Presbyterian Theological Seminary on May 21, 2011. ■ (13) Gillian Grissom
and Thomas Locke '04 were married May 21, 2011, in the Sudie George
Chapel at First Presbyterian Church in Dallas Texas. The couple lives in
Durham, North Carolina, where Gillian is pursuing a master's degree at the
Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University and Thomas is a
development officer at a United Methodist Church-affiliated foundation. ■
Shane and Sarah Vaal Webb celebrated graduation month in May 2011.
Sarah graduated from the University of Texas with her master’s degree in
speech and language pathology on May 20, and Shane received his Master
of Divinity from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary on May 21.
Shane was ordained as a minister of Word and Sacrament on July 10 at the
First Presbyterian Church of Pasadena. Shane and Sarah moved to Lima,
Peru, in August with the Young Adult Volunteers for a year of service.
Shane is serving as minister at two Presbyterian churches and Sarah is
working at the Ann Sullivan Center, which serves people with different
abilities (such as autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, or developmental
delay) and their families.
08
(16) Becca Webb and Ryan Buell married on October 10, 2010, (10/10/10)
in Tyler, Texas. Members of their wedding party included Emma Wilking,
Becca Harpham Mandeville ’07, Emiliegh Stewart, Hunter Mandeville ’07,
Emmanuel Nwelue, Brian Hambrick ’07, Sam McDonald, and Bucky
Brannen. ■ Kelly Wiggins wrote a paper that was highlighted in the
September 19, 2011, issue of the professional journal Science. A short news
brief also appeared in C & E News about the mechanochemistry project.
Kelly is in her fourth year of graduate study at University of Texas working
toward a Ph.D. in chemistry. ■ Steven Zaborowski has joined Austin
Presbyterian Theological Seminary as development officer for the Office of
Institutional Advancement, serving north Texas and Oklahoma.
09
(17) Stephen McCormick and Rebecca Tsucalas married on May 21, 2011, in
Houston, Texas. Wedding guests included Hillary Luckett ’09, and Merritt
O’Boyle and Robert Grimm, both ’11. The couple now lives in Falls Church,
Virginia. ■ (9) Alyssa Taylor Steed earned a master’s degree in museum
studies from Baylor University on May 14, 2011.
11
Stephanie Ray joined the staff at Texas Presbyterian Foundation as a client
services administrator and is the primary relationship manager for
institutional and church clients outside Texas. She lives in Dallas. ■ Rachel
Wells is teaching fifth through eighth grades at the Buchanan Girls School
in Kerala, South India, with the Young Adult Volunteers Program of the
Presbyterian Church. As a student, she took part in a January Term course
in Scotland and the 2011 A Cappella Choir tour to France, but considers her
year-long India trip her real study abroad experience. She returns to the
U.S. in September 2012.
[’roo news]
Taking Command
U.S. Navy Captain Dorian F. Jones ’84 became the 13th commanding officer of the
amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) in a change of command ceremony
aboard the ship on June 30, 2011.
“I can think of only one thing better than serving as your executive officer for these
past 18 months, and that is serving as your commanding
officer for the next 172 months,” Jones said in his remarks,
earning a laugh from the crew. “We have challenges ahead,
and I look forward to facing them with you.”
Jones had served as the ship’s executive officer since
February 2010. Over the past three years, the ship’s crew
has supported humanitarian relief operations and engaged
in Operations Unified Protector and Odyssey Dawn in
Libya.
After graduating from Austin College, Jones attended
Army Command and Staff College and the Armed Forces
Staff College. His awards include the Legion of Merit and
Meritorious Service Medal as well as other personal and
campaign medals.
42 | Austin College Magazine Winter 2012